Can You Meal Prep Shrimp? A Complete Guide to Prepping Healthy Shrimp Meals

Shrimp is a fantastic ingredient for meal prepping. It’s lean, protein-packed, and versatile enough to be used in a variety of delicious dishes. But can you safely meal prep shrimp without it going bad?

The short answer is yes – with proper storage, cooked shrimp can easily last 3-5 days refrigerated. Meal prepping shrimp dishes allows you to enjoy quick, healthy meals throughout the busy work week.

In this comprehensive guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about meal prepping with shrimp including

• Benefits of Shrimp for Meal Prepping
• How to Buy, Store and Prep Raw Shrimp
• Cooking Shrimp for Meal Prep
• Storing and Reheating Cooked Shrimp
• Avoiding Food Safety Risks
• Top Tips for Meal Prepping Shrimp
• 10 Delicious Shrimp Meal Prep Recipes

Benefits of Shrimp for Meal Prepping

Shrimp offers many benefits that make it an ideal protein for meal prepping:

• Nutrient-dense: Shrimp is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals like selenium, omega-3s, vitamin B12 and iodine. An excellent nutrient boost for your meals.

• Low-calorie: With about 100 calories in a 4-ounce serving, shrimp provides lots of nutrients without tons of calories. Great for weight loss meal preps.

• Quick-cooking: Shrimp cooks fast, which is perfect for quick weekday meal prep recipes.

• Lean and versatile: The mild flavor takes on any cuisine beautifully. From curries to salads, shrimp can be used in many healthy recipes.

• Satisfying protein: Shrimp will keep you feeling full and energized compared to carb-heavy meals.

• Gluten-free and low-carb: Shrimp is a great meal prep ingredient for many dietary needs like keto, paleo, or low-carb.

With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why shrimp is fantastic for meal prepping!

How to Buy, Store and Prep Raw Shrimp

To start meal prepping delicious shrimp dishes, begin with high-quality raw shrimp:

• Buy fresh or frozen: Choose raw shrimp that smells fresh and isn’t slimy. Opt for frozen if you don’t plan to use it within a day or two.

• Look for sustainably caught: Choose shrimp certified by organizations like Marine Stewardship Council for sustainability.

• Go for shell-on or peeled: Depending on your meal prep recipes, buy shell-on for more flavor or peeled/deveined for convenience.

• Store properly: Keep raw shrimp chilled at 32-40°F. Place in a container/bag in the coldest part of the fridge. Use within 1-2 days.

• Thaw safely: To use frozen shrimp, thaw in the fridge overnight. Otherwise do a cold water thaw for 5-10 minutes.

• Prep as needed: Peel, devein and pat dry raw shrimp before cooking. Cut into pieces if the recipe calls for it.

Proper storage and handling prevents risk of bacteria and keeps shrimp fresh.

Cooking Shrimp for Meal Prep

Shrimp cooks very quickly, so it’s easy to go from raw to delicious meal prep entrees or sides. Here are some tips for cooking shrimp:

• Use a hot pan or skillet. Preheat your pan well before cooking. Use a bit of oil or cooking spray.

• Don’t overcook. Shrimp turns from translucent to pink/red when cooked. Take it off the heat as soon as it changes color to prevent rubbery texture.

• Cook for 2-5 minutes. Depending on size, shrimp takes only 2-5 minutes to cook through. Time carefully.

• Season as desired. Season raw shrimp with spices, herbs, garlic, etc. before or during cooking.

• Sear or sauté. Get nice caramelization on shrimp with quick high-heat pan searing. Or sauté gently in sauces.

• Simmer in soups/curries. Add raw shrimp at the end to gently simmer in liquids for a few minutes.

Cooking shrimp properly helps retain moisture and texture. With a bit of practice, you’ll be an expert!

Storing and Reheating Cooked Shrimp

To safely enjoy shrimp meal preps all week long, proper storage and reheating is essential:

• Store in airtight containers. Place cooked shrimp in meal prep containers, cover and refrigerate immediately.

• Use within 3-5 days. Cooked shrimp keeps 3-4 days in the fridge according to USDA food safety guidelines.

• Reheat thoroughly. Microwave or simmer on the stovetop until shrimp reaches 165°F internally.

• Avoid repeat reheating. Try to reheat only once, as multiple reheatings increase safety risks.

• Keep cold if not reheating. For shrimp salads or bowls, keep components like shrimp and dressing cold and assemble just before eating.

Proper chilling, reheating and handling makes your shrimp meal preps safe all week long.

Avoiding Food Safety Risks

As with any protein, basic food safety practices help avoid illness when meal prepping shrimp:

• Watch temps diligently. Cook shrimp to 145°F, reheat to 165°F. Use a food thermometer if unsure.

• Chill thoroughly. Get cooked shrimp into the fridge within 2 hours. Don’t leave at room temp.

• Look for odd smells/textures. Toss shrimp that smells unpleasant or has an unusual mushy texture.

• Avoid cross-contamination. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked shrimp.

• Clean surfaces and hands. Disinfect any surfaces raw shrimp touched. Wash hands before and after handling.

• Store cooked separately. Keep raw and cooked shrimp containers well separated in the fridge.

Following basic food prep hygiene helps keep your shrimp meal preps problem-free. Don’t let safety concerns stop you from enjoying healthy shrimp meals!

Top Tips for Meal Prepping Shrimp

Here are my top tips for streamlining shrimp meal prep:

• Prep in bulk. Cook 1-2 pounds of shrimp at once, then portion into meal containers right away.

• Buy pre-peeled. Time-saver! Choose peeled, deveined and tail-off shrimp.

• Get creative with flavors. Cajun, lemon-garlic, pesto – infuse your shrimp with herbs, spices and sauces.

• Pair with veggies. Quick-cooking veggies like zucchini, bell peppers and snap peas complement shrimp’s speed.

• Use in various ways. Shrimp works in grain bowls, salads, pastas, soups, stir-fries, tacos…endless options!

• Freeze extras. Once cooked, freeze leftover shrimp in freezer bags to use later. Thaw in fridge before using.

With smart prep, storage and recipes, you can enjoy tasty shrimp meals without waste or safety issues.

10 Delicious Shrimp Meal Prep Recipes

Now let’s get to the fun part – shrimp meal prep recipes! Here are 10 of my favorite easy, healthy ways to use shrimp for meal prepping:

1. Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Skillet

Spicy Cajun shrimp with onions, bell pepper and sausage. Serve over cauli-rice.

2. Lemon Garlic Shrimp Zoodles

Shrimp sautéed in lemony garlic butter sauce on top of spiralized zucchini noodles.

3. Honey Soy Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies

Shrimp with broccoli, carrots and snap peas in a sweet and savory honey soy glaze.

4. Shrimp Fajita Bowls

Shrimp with sautéed peppers and onions served over cilantro cauliflower rice. Top with guac and Greek yogurt.

5. Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Spicy shrimp tomato coconut curry broth with veggies.

6. Mediterranean Shrimp Salad

Shrimp with cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, olives, feta and lemon vinaigrette.

7. Buffalo Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Panko-crusted baked shrimp drizzled with hot sauce. Serve in bibb lettuce cups with ranch.

8. Shrimp and Veggie Kebabs

Shrimp alternating with cherry tomatoes, zucchini and pineapple – so colorful!

9. Cajun Shrimp Tacos

Blackened shrimp wrapped in warmed corn tortillas and topped with crunchy cabbage slaw.

10. Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice

Shrimp stir-fried with riced cauliflower, carrots, peas and soy